The Legend of Valmyle
by Isaakian Adept
Summary: A mysterious legend has Isaac and co. on a search that will change there lives forever. Chapter two is up. It does have a lot of talking, and our heroes learn about...well, you read and find out! Please R&R!
1. Prologue

The Legend of Valmyle Story by Isaakian Adept  
  
On the continent known as Angara, there is a legend. It is known only to a few beings; some human, some not. It says of a mysterious kingdom, a magical land. Swallowed by the earth centuries ago. Many have gone in search of this beautiful place, and yet, none have them have returned. This is a story of a group of friends who found the kingdom. The kingdom...of Valmyle.  
  
  
  
PROLOGUE: In the year 701, several centuries before Isaac's generation, King Valmee ruled a small kingdom. At first, it was simply called "The Lonely Lands." This was not because of its population, for it had several hundred people. It was called so because it rested in the middle of Angara. On top of Mount Easu, the tallest member of the Goma Mountain range. It was almost impossible to get to, and if you did, you would remain unwelcome.  
  
After a century or so, the King had named his kingdom, Valmee. However, because of his extreme power, he became more and more power hungry. Eventually, his son, Valmyne, justifiably murdered his father, after Valmee killed is wife and several members of his court. Valmyne took his father's place as king, and renamed the lands, Valmyle.  
  
Valmyle did not last as long as Valmyne and his people had planned. During his reign, Valmee had gone a long journey. As he traveled, he met many Adepts. He also visited the Venus Temple, a large building built to honor the god of the earth, Venus himself. Unfortunately, while he was there, he was attacked by a fellow Jupiter Adept king. Venus did not like seeing the two clans fighting, so he cursed each.  
  
"Because you wish to war in my temple, I curse you! Curse you, curse you, curse you! The Venus clan's greatest kingdom is destined be swallowed up by the earth, and will destroy itself in a war for power. The Jupiter clan's greatest kingdom will rise into the sky, and destroy itself in a war for fortune. You will all regret this!" The two Adepts stopped their warring and looked up at the statue speaking to them.  
  
"Please!" Valmee pleaded. "There must be a way to break this curse." The statue grunted and paused for moment, then continued.  
  
"All right. You may have your wish. If the current king during the war can destroy whom or what he loves best, the curse to his clan will break. Now leave, before I change my mind." The royals nodded and rushed from the building. A hundred years later, the curse came true.  
  
The people of Valmyle panicked as the land around them cracked and crumbled. Women and children screamed as men rushed to get their weapons and armor.  
  
"No! Don't go!" They pleaded, but the loyal people knew the king needed protection. Not knowing what they were in for, thousands of people rushed to the palace, simply to find their beloved King Valmyne dead. He had been crushed by a large boulder, fallen from the sky.  
  
They knew what was happening as they saw the earth rise above them. The sky slowly disappeared as they sank lower into the mountain. Finally, all the horror stopped. The kingdom halted, and the screaming was silenced. The villagers and lords became equal in an instant. They all finally looked around, and saw the destruction and terror surrounding each one of them. Then, they cried.  
  
They cried and sobbed and shouted and screamed. There king was dead, their homes in ruins, and no one knew. They were forgotten. They were simply, a legend. The Legend of Valmyle... 


	2. Chapter One

The Legend of Valmyle Story by Isaakian Adept  
  
CHAPTER I: "Guys, wake up. Hey, guys!" Isaac crouched over his three companions. Mia was the first to stir.  
  
"Isaac? What happened? Oh, my head!" Isaac smiled.  
  
"You three were knocked out. The rockslide, remember?" Mia looked puzzled. The night before, the four had been climbing Mt. Easu. As the approached the peak, a large beast appeared. It gave an evil grin before kicking a huge boulder. This caused a landslide, headed straight for the Adepts.  
  
Isaac used his power to avoid being hit, but the others, Garet, Ivan, and Mia, weren't so lucky. Isaac watched in horror as they were carried down the slope in a wave of dirt, rocks, and grass. He knew he was the only one who could save them. He tried in vain to stop the avalanche, only making it worse. He slid down the mountain after his friends.  
  
He found all of them on a ledge a short while later.  
  
"Garet, are you OK? Ivan? Mia, wake up!" Isaac tried over and over for them to awaken, but they remained still. He pulled out a bottle filled to the rim with Hermes' Water, and poured it into their mouths. He knew it wouldn't kick in until morning, so he decided to set up camp.  
  
He fired several large spires into the wall of rock and created a shallow cave. Since Garet was out, he couldn't light a fire, so he huddled the other three close to him and fell right asleep.  
  
"Oh, I kinda remember. How are the other two, and how did you survive?" Mia broke the silence of her thinking. Isaac had dozed off while he waited, but her sudden comment surprised him and he sat up straight.  
  
"Oh, the Garet and Ivan are still asleep, I think. They're back in the cave." He peeked in the large hole and saw the two bodies on the floor. "I hope they're OK, you guys have been asleep for over ten hours now!  
  
"You still didn't answer my question." Mia said with a low tone, as if someone else was listening.  
  
"Oh, well, isn't it obvious? Being an Venus Adept, I'm used to rocks, mud, and grass. I simply created a barrier and stood there." He seemed a little annoyed that Mia hadn't already known.  
  
"Hey, having a party without me?" The two turned around to see Garet staggering out of the cave. He still looked like he was half-asleep. "What's up Isaac? Madam." Mia rolled her eyes and Isaac high-fived Garet.  
  
"We were wondering when you would get up, sleeping beauty" Isaac joked. It was unlike Isaac to be anything but serious, but he had his occasional not-on-an-important-quest times. This was obviously one of them.  
  
"Well Mr. I-think-I'm-so-funny, I'll have you know I'm not the last one up this time, Ivan's as lifeless as a..." Just as Garet finished, a call from the sky was heard.  
  
"Nope, sorry Garet, you must have been sleep walking again. I awoke right after Mia." It was Ivan, as he zoomed through the air. A month or so ago, the party had learned that Jupiter Adepts also have the ability to fly, if they train enough.  
  
"But, I was sure you were still in the cave, you must be lying!" Garet's complaints were ignored, as they usually were. He sighed, and walked over to the woodpile Isaac had gathered earlier that morning. "Here, let me take care of that fire." He said as he tossed a fireball into the wood. It ignited immediately, and moments later them four were cooking eggs for breakfast.  
  
As they finished eating, they heard a blood-curdling scream, followed by a shout.  
  
"Help, please save us!" Isaac jumped up and began barking orders.  
  
"Ivan, go see who's calling. Mia, put out the fire, but let Garet get those last eggs off first." Each did as they were told instantly. They were used to following Isaac, they had for several years.  
  
Ivan returned a minute or so later. "It's a man in brown robes and a girl in red and black leather. They're being attacked by some weird looking man, dressed in silver armor. I think he's some sort of guardian or knight." Isaac ordered Ivan to lift the other three up to where the couple was being attacked. Ivan nodded and started waving his arm. Soon, they were all shooting through the sky to a hidden mountain.  
  
"Look, there they are!" Mia sighted the two first. At first, it appeared that they were throwing rocks and burning sticks at the night, but then Ivan noticed something odd.  
  
"If they're throwing rocks and sticks, how come there are none around them?" Isaac noticed this too and realized what was happening.  
  
"They must be Adepts. That boy must be a Venus Adept, and the girl a Mars! Come on, we should help them." The group sped towards the clearing and returned to the ground. Even know they didn't know who they were helping, they fought their hardest anyways. Mia shot concentrated sprays of water at the armored man, knocking him over. Then Garet and Ivan created a fiery tornado and picked up the knight. Isaac finished him off with an earthquake as the man was dropped to the ground. He stood up, put his hands together, and disappeared.  
  
"Who was that? He sure didn't fight well." Ivan tried to act discouraged with the simple fight.  
  
"Hah! You four don't know whom you were dealing with, do you. That was a Silver Guardian. A legendary being that protects the lost kingdom of Valmyle." The girl seemed to know exactly what she was talking about.  
  
"How do you know about Valmyle? Who are you?" Isaac questioned the couple. He only knew of a few other people who had been told of the legend.  
  
"I am Medius, the Venus Foriendor, and this is my acquaintance Alice, a Mars master warrior." The boy explained.  
  
"Your majesty, I had no idea it was you!" Isaac seemed to know exactly who Medius was. "Why are you not at the palace. And why are you traveling with a Mars warrior, not a Venus?"  
  
"Isaac, do you know something we don't?" Mia asked softly.  
  
"Yes, and no. Medius is the Venus' clan Foriendor."  
  
"Isaac, we know what a Foriendor is, but how do you know the Venus Foriendor?" Mia was becoming quite curious  
  
"Remember when I disappeared for a month, a long time ago? Well, a week before, I had been called to the Venus Palace. I was told to arrive alone and as soon as possible. Once I arrived, I was sent directly to the Foriendor. Medius told me of the legend, and instructed me to tell you three when I returned. I discovered that my father had once been the Foriendor, and that made me a lord."  
  
"Isaac, why didn't you tell us all of this? We only knew of the legend!" Garet was angry, and yet happy to have learned of Isaac's disappearance. He easily hid the feeling though.  
  
"I instructed him to do so. As for your Mars warrior question, I travel with her as to not raise any suspicion of my identity." Medius explained. "I have left in secret to find several missing adepts. Lady Asu and Jase of the Mercury clan, Aaron of the Jupiter clan, and Erok of the Venus clan." When Mia heard the name Jase, a look of horror appeared on her face.  
  
"Did you say Jase?" She asked. When told she had heard correctly, she panicked. "No! My brother, gone?"  
  
"You mean you are Mia, the great healer of Imil?" Alice piped up. "Jase has said so much about you! You must feel awful!"  
  
"What are you talking about? Where has my brother gone?" Mia was beginning to get frantic.  
  
"You mean you didn't know?" Alice seemed surprised at Mia's ignorance to her family's whereabouts. "Several years ago, he left in search of Valmyle. He still hadn't returned a year later, so his lover, Lady Asu, went in search of him. She also disappeared. Ever since we lost such an important person, searching for Valmyle has been forbidden." Ivan looked surprised.  
  
"You mean we aren't supposed to be looking for it right now?"  
  
"No, I said it was OK for Isaac and his friends to search for it, since you are all such great warriors." Garet grunted, and everyone turned to see him sleeping.  
  
"I guess he woke up a little too..." Isaac couldn't finish. The Silver Guardian they had fought with before reappeared, this time as a dragon. It was a gargantuan monster covered with silver scales, as hard as diamonds. It sparkled in the light, it's beauty unbelievable. However, it was as dangerous as it was spectacular. Ivan leaned over and slapped Garet on the chest.  
  
"Huh, what the..." Garet snapped awake, but shrieked when he noticed the huge beast hovering above them.  
  
"Get ready everyone, here we go." Medius pulled out his golden sword and began swishing it around. The other five pulled out their weapons, and the battle began.  
  
The Silver Guardian started off the fighting with a fireball, glowing with some odd white light. It created it in its mouth, then blew it at the six adepts. Ivan flew up into the sky and dodged it, while the two fire adepts created a barrier around the others. As the flaming ball hit the barrier, however, it broke right through and hit the five.  
  
"What, but that was a fireball! Our barrier should have stopped it." Alice said angrily, spitting at the ground.  
  
"It wasn't just any fireball, it was a silver flame-ball. A kind unique to the Silver Guardians." Medius explained it as if it was a common fact. "If we are going to defeat it, we'll have to use some new tactics. Ivan, you attack from the air. Alice, you work with Garet on a sneak attack. Mia, you can attack unless someone it hurt, you can heal them. Isaac, you'll work with me on a forward attack. OK, let's go!"  
  
Ivan shot up into the air and immediately began attacking with plasmas and strong winds. Garet and Alice went directly under the beast and waited to attack. Mia, Isaac, and Medius began using their own elemental attacks on the armored dragon. The silver plates and helmet easily reflected the attacks, only angering it more. Medius knew even the six of them, some of the most powerful warriors in the world, were no match for a Silver Guardian. Still, he knew it was their only chance of survival, so they continued to attack.  
  
"Now!" Isaac shouted to Garet and Alice. "Attack the belly, it has less armor!" The two did exactly as they were told, but in vain. It seemed to only tickle the monstrous dragon, causing it to attack even more rapidly. Ivan was the first to go down. He flew right past the dragon's nose, right as it shot out a blast of burning steam. Ivan screamed for a moment, then tumbled towards the earth.  
  
"Catch him, someone!" Garet was closest to where the small Jupiter Adept was falling, so he ran out from under the monster and reached out. Ivan dropped right into Garet's arms. With Ivan in his arms, Garet couldn't defend himself against the attacking Silver Guardian. The monster fires a blast of shining energy right at Garet, knocking him out as well.  
  
"Garet! Are you all right? Garet?" Alice tried waking the boy up, but he was unconscious. She had no other choice, but to continue fighting with the others. Mia attempted to jump up onto the guardian's back, but tripped on her robes when she landed. The beast noticed her immediately and began flying all around until he finally shook her off. She landed right on a large rock, which cut deep into her arm.  
  
"Mia! What happened?" Medius ran over to the Mercury Adept to care for her. With his back turned to the Silver Guardian, he was hit square in the back with a blast of silver fire, also knocking him out.  
  
"Isaac, we're the only two left standing, we can't win! We have to retreat." Isaac knew Alice was right, but he had an idea.  
  
"WAIT!" Isaac stood in front of the Silver Guardian waving his arms. "Just listen to me. I am Lord Isaac; the legendary Venus Warrior of Vale. I ask that you..." The dragon didn't let him finish.  
  
"Lord Isaac, is that whom you said you are?" The beast suddenly calmed down; it landed on the ground several meters in front of Isaac and Alice. "I, I have been told of your coming." This worried Isaac, and yet, it made him feel safer.  
  
"What do you mean you've been told of my arrival? Who told you this?"  
  
"I can not tell you, but I can show you. Let me heal your companions, then you may pass and enter Valmyle." As the beast finished speaking, it began to glow. As it brightened, Ivan, Garet, Mia, and Medius all began to glow too. Then they just stopped. All four awoke with a start. The guardian stopped glowing more slowly. When it stopped, it was a man once again. He touched each of the injured's heads, and disappeared. Garet was the first to speak as the knight vanished.  
  
"Whoa! That was so weird. He touched my head, and then I knew everything he had just told you, Isaac." The other three nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well, if that monster granted us permission to enter Valmyle, we'd best be on our way." Now Isaac was the one taking orders, just like everyone else. No one argued, not only because Medius was a Foriendor, but because they all agreed. If they were to find the missing Adepts and Mia's brother, they needed to hurry. Isaac also wanted to learn of how his presence was expected.  
  
Ivan waved his arms, creating a strong wind, which picked up the others. They headed into the forest, not knowing what to expect. Hoping they would leave with at least their lives.  
  
***  
  
"I can't believe this! We've been in this forest for a week now, and we haven't even seen a clearing of trees." Garet was pacing around the camp, cursing and shouting.  
  
"Oh shut up Garet. If you hadn't demanded on being the navigator, we'd be out by now. Plus, you've been eating all the food. We barely have any left!" Everyone was in a bad mood, and Garet and Mia were constantly bickering. Mia was especially grumpy. She hadn't been able to sleep; she was too busy worrying about Jase. He had always been an adventurous and rebellious man. She wondered what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into this time.  
  
"Come on, you two. Let's get to bed." Medius and the others were trying to sleep, but the arguments and fights had been keeping them up. Garet yawned and climbed into his tent. Within seconds, he was snoring, fast asleep. Mia, on the other hand, was, once again, sitting by the fire, thinking about Jase and Valmyle.  
  
"Everything alright, Mia?" Isaac was also having trouble sleeping.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing." Mia looked deep into Isaac's eyes. They sparkled a beautiful blue in the moonlight. Their eyes locked, but Mia quickly turned away.  
  
"Mia, you must accept the inevitable. Jase is gone. Whether he's dead or not, I don't know, and unless you get to sleep, you won't either." Mia didn't want to listen. She knew he was right, but just couldn't accept it.  
  
"Oh Isaac, I'm so frightened. I don't know what to think anymore." She let out a long sigh. Isaac reached his arms around her. At first, she fought it, but then let Isaac embrace her.  
  
"Mia..." She put her finger to his lips and silenced him.  
  
"Don't talk, feel." And she kissed him. Not a long slobbery kiss where it looks like they eat each other; just a long, but clean kiss. When their lips met, an odd sensation went through their bodies. Isaac pulled Mia even closer to him. As quickly as it began, however, it ended. Mia pulled her head back and turned beet red.  
  
"I...I shouldn't have done that! I should go." She rushed into her tent. Isaac could only smile. He knew that she had enjoyed it as much as he had. Maybe she would feel better about it in the morning. Isaac crawled back into his tent, and fell right into a deep sleep.  
  
***  
  
Another week passed before the six Adepts reached the edge of the forest. The days had all been the same, wandering around and fighting monsters. They had encountered a few apes, but nothing they couldn't handle. The nights had also been similar. Mia was sleeping fine now, perhaps because Isaac was moving so close to her. She still didn't know if she liked the relationship she was forming, but she didn't worry too much about it now. She had bigger things on her mind.  
  
"Well, two weeks later and we're finally out. God Garet, do you always have to save the day. You knew you had no idea where we were going. Good thing Alice found that map." Mia may have been sleeping better, but her fights with Garet were still going strong. Isaac sighed.  
  
"Quit your fighting you two. Come one, we have to find that cave that leads to Valmyle." Medius nodded and motioned for the others to follow him. They all started walking, but Alice remained where she was.  
  
"Medius, maybe we need some new leadership." Medius looked over his shoulder.  
  
"You mean Garet? No, I would like to actually know where we are." Alice seemed used to Medius' sarcasm.  
  
"No, I mean Isaac. He is the one who has traveled all of Angara. Besides, he's a warrior, while you are a Foriendor. You should not be fighting, let alone traveling." Medius began to get angered.  
  
"Now just because I'm a Foriendor, it doesn't mean I can't fight. I have every right to be out here in the open world."  
  
"Yes, I know you majesty. But Isaac is an experienced fighter. He has been on the road for four years now. You have left only a month ago, and have battled only a few times." Now it was Ivan's turn to speak.  
  
"Your majesty, I don't want to offend you, but I agree with Alice. Isaac is more experienced than any of us. Plus, he's a very experienced leader in the wild. He is a quick thinker, and knows exactly what to do in almost and danger. That is all, sir."  
  
"Hmmm. I guess you're right. Well. Oh, I don't know. I guess it would work out. Yes, Isaac, you may take over." Isaac looked a little worried.  
  
"Well, thanks for the flattery, but I think Medius should remain our leader. After all, he is the Foriendor here." Medius smiled, but frowned again right away.  
  
"No, I understand what the others were saying. I would be honored if you took my place as the leader of this 'mission'." Mia smiled sweetly.  
  
"Yes, Isaac, you should lead us. I agree with all that has been said. Please Isaac, do it for me." Isaac paused, then nodded and went to the head of the group.  
  
"Well, we'd better get going then." He started walking, his blade drawn. The others followed closely, ready for anything. Or so they thought.  
  
As they walked, Isaac occasionally thought he saw something flash in the distance. On top of a snow covered mountain, sparkles and flashes were not uncommon. What Isaac saw, however, was much bigger than the average snowflake-sparkle. When he next saw the flash, he decided to ask the others if they had also spotted the odd glint.  
  
"Hey! Did you see that?"  
  
"See what, Isaac? Are you hallucinating again?" Garet always claimed that if he didn't see it, anyone who did was hallucinating. Even if he stood alone.  
  
"No Garet, I'm not. It was some weird flash or something. I looked like light reflecting off of a blade, or some sort of armor."  
  
"Look! I saw it too. Right over there, under that..." Ivan didn't finish. A tall boy jumped out from underneath a fir. He had no weapon or armor, but he did have some odd sort of metallic breathing device.  
  
"Oh, who are you?" The all boy seemed quite friendly.  
  
"I am Lord Isaac, a Venus Adept. These are my friends: Mia, Garet, Ivan, Alice, and the Venus Foriendor, Medius." The boy thought for a moment, and let out a relieved sigh.  
  
"So you aren't bounty hunters. Good, I was afraid I had been discovered." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small-engraved stone. "You're probably wondering what I mean, right?" He didn't let anyone answer. "I am prisoner 1284, but you can call me Aaron."  
  
"Aaron, of the Jupiter Clan? The one who disappeared two years ago?" Medius began to get excited upon hearing the boy's name.  
  
"Yes, I am a Wind Adept, and I did get captured two years ago. How did you know that?"  
  
"I am Medius, you know, the Venus Foriendor. I have left Venus Palace in search of you and several other adepts. What did you say about being a prisoner?" The question seemed to make Aaron a little uneasy, but he answered anyway.  
  
"Um, well, I was out flying around looking for some fun, when I saw some weird knight by this mountain. I landed near him and shouted to him. I guess he got mad or something, because when he saw me, he came over to me and started to glow." Garet interrupted Aaron.  
  
"Then he turned into a huge silver dragon and whooped you, right?" Aaron nodded and continued his tale.  
  
"So anyway, when I awoke, I was in some stone room with chains on my arms and legs. There was a bar door, and small window, also barred. Another one of those weird silver guys came over to me. He didn't say a word, he just handed me this stone and left. I have no idea where I was, all I knew was that I was in some sort of jail cell." Isaac opened his mouth to explain, but Mia started before he could utter a word.  
  
"Aaron, you were a prisoner of Valmyle!" Aaron gasped.  
  
"Valmyle? You mean that legendary kingdom that sank into the earth? Wow! Wait'll my friends back in Bilibin here about this." He started to summon some winds to carry him home, but Ivan created a strong wind that held the boy in his place.  
  
"Oh no you don't! You're not going anywhere. Listen to us, this is more important to her than any of us." Ivan nodded and Mia continued.  
  
"As I was saying, you were a prisoner of Valmyle. You, along with three other Adepts disappeared there. One of which, was my brother. We were on our way to rescue all of you, but it seems you've taken care of yourself. Well, let's go!" Everyone could tell Mia was angry with Aaron's "rude" behaviors.  
  
"Wait, don't leave me here. What if they catch me?" Aaron was reacting just the way Mia had wanted him too. She continued.  
  
"Well you sure didn't seem worried about that a minute ago." The others chuckled and Aaron frowned. He had realized what Mia was doing.  
  
"Sorry about what I said did earlier. I didn't realize you were trying to help me. Mia accepted his apology and forgave him.  
  
"It's OK. We all screw up sometimes." Aaron nodded as he walked up to Medius.  
  
"Your majesty, would you mind if I joined up with you guys? I really could use some protection." Medius considered it for a moment, then nodded with approval. "Gee thanks. I hope I'm not too much of a hassle or anything. If I bother you at all, please, just let me..." Medius was now annoyed.  
  
"OK, I get the point. Please, just shut up!" Aaron looked a little hurt, but new that the Foriendor was just in a bad mood. It had always seemed that way about royalties. Aaron's mother had once been a Foriendor, but she and her husband had been assassinated. Aaron had recently lived with his Grandfather, but had left in search of Valmyle.  
  
The Adepts continued trudging through the snow, which continued to fall harder as the ascended the peak. Soon, it was almost up to their waists. The snow soon stopped falling, but it was so deep they could barely move.  
  
"What is up with this snow! It feels like I'm frozen." Garet, being a Mars Adept, was weakened greatly by the snow. He was sick and tired of being stuck.  
  
"Well, do something about it. You're the one with heat powers!" Even Ivan was in a bad mood. Garet thought for a moment, then smiled. He put his hands together then slowly spread them out. As he did, all the snow his hands passed melted. After all the snow around them was gone, Isaac noticed something.  
  
"Hey, is that a cave over there?" Medius went over and peeked in. He called back.  
  
"Yeah! I think it's the path to Valmyle." Aaron looked around and agreed. They were so close to their destination, and yet so far. The path was long and dangerous. Whether they would make it was up to the Gods. 


	3. Chapter Two

The Legend of Valmyle Story by Isaakian Adept  
  
CHAPTER II: Isaac and the others rushed over to where Medius was standing, staring with awe. The caves walls were littered with purple gems. Ivan recognized them immediately.  
  
"Psynergy Stones! They're everywhere!" Alice nodded and closed her gaping mouth. She then snapped her fingers, and instantly created a small flame in her hand. She picked up a stick and lit it on fire.  
  
"Here Isaac, take this torch. We need to get going and find the prisoners." Garet snickered at her nervous attitude.  
  
"No! I am not going back! I will never return to that horrid place. Never in a thousand years. If you wish to save your friends, I'm sorry, but, you'll have to continue without me." Aaron looked terrified of the cave. He spoke quickly, as if they were coming after him.  
  
"But Aaron, we cant just leave you here!" Alice looked even more worried.  
  
"What's the matter Alice, scared to have one less man to protect you?" Mia frowned and shook her head.  
  
"Garet, how can you complain about our teasing when you poke fun at so many people?" Mia stopped walking and waited for an answer. "Well?" Garet exaggerated a frown and hung his head as he slowly stepped towards Mia. Suddenly, as he neared her, he pulled his head up, an evil smile on his face, and started charging at her. Mia squealed and took off down the tunnel. Within a few minutes, they were both out of sight.  
  
"Well, anyways. Aaron, if you really feel that way, you can wait for us here. I'm sure that we'll be out soon." The four remaining said their goodbyes to the boy, as he walked over to a pile of snow and began digging a cave.  
  
"Come on guys, we'd better go af..." Isaac was cut off by a long scream as he stepped into the cavern. This time, not one of delight. "Mia!" He started running, with Ivan, Alice, and Medius close behind.  
  
When they arrived to where Mia and Garet were, they halted instantly. Mia was held in the fist of a giant rock monster with Garet lying at its feet, surrounded by blood and dirt.  
  
"Oh my God, Mia!" As soon as Isaac realized that Mia was on the way to her death, he jumped into action. He shouted to the others to care for Garet, while he took care of the boulder-like beast. He slashed his Gaia blade at its head, but the sword didn't even scratch it. "Mia, hold on." He continued trying various attacks, all in vain.  
  
Meanwhile, the others had awakened a badly injured Garet. He could barely sit up. Ivan instantly began inquiring the injured boy.  
  
"Garet, what is that thing?" Ivan and the others had never encountered such a beast in any of their travels. He feared the beast to be a demon.  
  
"Ohhh!" Garet was having trouble talking. " Uh, well, we saw this big guy dash into the, ohhh, shadows. Then he, ahhh, shouted something back at us and that, that thing appeared." Garet went limp in Medius' arms, but still breathed heavy breaths. Isaac looked more worried than ever.  
  
"We have to get Mia so she can heal him! We'll have to use Djinn." Isaac pulled out seven small brown creatures from his pockets and turned to see the confused look of Medius' face.  
  
"What are Djinn?" Isaac chuckled at his ignorance.  
  
"Sorry, I must explain. on our travels, we met several dozen little creatures called Djinn. They had been scattered around Angara after the eruption. They agreed to help us fight if we took them with us. Now, we each have seven. Here, I'll use Flint, Quartz, Bane, and Ground to demonstrate." Isaac sorted out the four and returned the other three to his pockets. He held the little creatures in his cupped hands and began to chant. Suddenly, a huge force shot through the land, but it only affected the monster of rocks. It turned to look at Isaac, then exploded into a cloud of dust. When the dust settled, the four standing saw a badly injured figure attempting to cast some spell over Garet.  
  
"Mia! Let me help you!" Isaac rushed over to the girl. As soon as Garet was healed, she collapsed into Isaacs readied arms. "Everything is alright now, Mia." He kissed her on her forehead and layed her out on the ground. Medius crawled over and used Cure. Mia still slept, but her pulse had lowered and she was breathing more steadily. They would have to camp out in the cave until Mia awoke, and Garet fully recovered.  
  
"Why can't we leave now? I don't want to even think about any more of those things.!" Ivan shared the groups worry, but he, being the youngest, was worried most. He knew that they wouldn't be able to handle a tougher beast, let alone another one of similar difficulty.  
  
"Sorry buddy, we've gotta stay here until Mia and Garet are better. You'll be fine as long as we're here." Medius tried to be kind to the boy, but he only succeeded in worsening Ivan's attitude.  
  
"Excuse me! I'm fifteen, not five. I want to be treated as an equal, someone your age. Not a child. I may be smaller, but mentally, I'm as mature as you, maybe more!" Medius frowned. He had never been known for his sensitivity. Isaac saw immediately where this was going, so he attempted to lift the spirits.  
  
"Hey Medius, have you ever been to Valmyle?" Medius ignored the boy's inquiry and continued to glare at Ivan. In the dark, Isaac couldn't see what was happening, and thought that the man was simply ignoring him. "Medius, just because you're a Foriendor, it doesn't mean you can just ignore me." Medius turned to look at the boy, now angered by two individuals.  
  
"How dare you! Why I should...I should...oh forget it. I'm too tired to think. I can barely keep my eyes open." Isaac yawned and tried to say something in agreement, but all that came out was another yawn. Medius heard it, and knew that Isaac was as tired as he. "How about you Ivan?" THe two waited for his reply, but were only answered by a long snore. They chuckled and lied down.  
  
As the six Adepts slept, a large man crept out of the shadows, and set something on Alice's chest, then rushed back into the darkness.  
  
***  
  
"Aaaaaiiiiieeeee!" A piercing scream awoke everyone with a start.  
  
"What was that?" Isaac looked around, counting heads. "Five, there's only five of us." The others gasped and frantically started looking around.  
  
"ALice! Where's Alice?" Garet seemed unusually worried about her.  
  
"I'm right here!" Everyone turned to see Alice . She had on nothing but a skirt, nothing on her chest. She stood with her mouth gaping, staring at something on her abdomen. Ivan and Medius turned beet red, but Garet, Isaac, and Mia were too worried about what was on her chest to care.  
  
"What's the matter Ali..." Garet saw the problem before he finished. On her chest skin was a black spider with a red "skull" on it's back. They could all tell it was a deadly Arganon Spider from the "skull," but it was three times its usual size. It showed it bloody pincers to the group, then crawled into the cave.  
  
"Oh Mercury!" Mia shrieked as Alice went limp. Medius rushed over to the girl and took her pulse. He looked up at the rest, and shook his head sadly. No item or Psynergy could help her now, she was gone.  
  
"Noooooooooo!" Garet rushed over to the body and held it close as tears streamed down his face. He turned to look at the puzzled faces of his comrades. "I loved her. I really did. I loved this girl, and..." He couldn't continue. The tears kept coming, and he gasped for breath in between sobs. "Who did this!" He shouted. They all knew that Arganons only lived in the hottest parts of Angara, and they never came out in the daytime. "Show yourself, you coward!" Garet continued shouting as he clutched the body of the girl.  
  
As they all stared at Garet, none of them noticed the bright light coming from the deeper area of the cave.  
  
"Is someone there?" A soft female voice brought everyone back to reality. The five turned to face a young woman with beautiful brown hair, tied back into a ponytail. She was wearing a ragged brown dress, covered with patches and dirt. "Oh, hello." She seemed extremely surprised to see anyone in the cave.  
  
"Are you from Valmyle?" Medius didn't waste any time introducing himself. He needed to know immediately.  
  
"How do you know of Valmyle?" Her kind smile disappeared with the mention of the lost kingdom.  
  
"No time to explain, we need to get there immediately." Isaac said with a rushed tone. He looked up at her with pleading eyes. The woman scanned them over, and stopped when she saw Alice's body.  
  
"What happened to...oh my! Those bite marks, they are of a...oh, follow me, quickly!" She rushed back the way she came, the five Adepts, Garet still holding Alice, closely following her. The woman stopped in front of a big boulder, the only part of the cave, not covered with Psynergy stones. The woman began chanting something about Venus and earth, and the huge stone disappeared. "Welcome to Valmyle!" The five Adepts stared in shock.  
  
The streets appeared to be made of pure gold. The house's windows sparkeled in the sun. The sun?  
  
"Why is there a sun? And sky? Aren't we underground?" The others nodded in agreement with Isaac's question.  
  
"I'll explain to you later. Right now, we need to care for your friend." The woman began running again.  
  
"But, Alice is dead, right?" Garet looked more puzzled than before. The woman nodded as she rushed down the street.  
  
"She seems dead, but there's something that only the Valmilians have discovered. You see, the spider's venom causes what seems to be death. It makes the pulse almost impossible to feel, and it makes the body grow cold. Unfortunately the victim is thought to be dead, and so is left to really die." Garet gasped as she finished.  
  
"You mean we may be able to save her?" The woman nodded again. The whole group's spirit seemed to rise as they slowed down. The group finally halted in front of a small stone gate. It opened, revealing a long path to a gargantuan mansion. It was built with a similar style to the gate the party had just passed through. Its walls were of gray and white stones. Its windows were almost non-existent. The path there was made of large, flat, white and gray stone slabs. There was some sort of mortar between the slabs, making the walk neat and smooth.  
  
When the seven reached the house, they realized how magnificent it really was. The doors were built with a thick wood, with beautiful designs carved into them. They were symmetrical stone statues surrounding the premise. All of the property seemed to be something of a dream.  
  
"Wow, they really meant 'the greatest kingdom' in the legend, huh?" Isaac was shocked as the others, but the first to speak.  
  
"Yes, it is. Why, my house is one of the smaller buildings." Garet's gaping mouth widened as the young woman spoke. "But no time to talk, we are running out of time to save your friend. She closed her eyes, mumbled something, and the tall door creaked open. "Follow me..." Her voice trailed as she hurried up the stairs.  
  
At the top of the stairs, there was a long hall, which the group rushed down until the reached a smaller blue door at the end of the hall.  
  
"This is Mina's room. She is our resident healer, and Mercury Adept." The woman knocked on the door and waited. The sound of approaching footsteps was heard, until the door slowly opened. A young girl, seeming younger than Ivan, answered the call. "Mina..." The woman began to explain, but the girl immediately noticed Alice, and motioned the group to enter.  
  
The room was quite large. as big as an entire inn. There was a beautiful blue marble oven, a blue bed fit for a queen, a blue glass table, in fact, almost everything in the room was blue.  
  
"Set the girl on the bed in my guestroom. I will tend to her while you wait here." She pointed at the table. "Help yourself to any food." She walked swiftly to another room. Garet followed her, and returned a moment later.  
  
"Sorry I didn't introduce myself to you all earlier." The woman spoke as she sat down. "I am Lady Garla. I may not look like a proper woman in these work rags, but you should see me when I visit the king!" Garla smiled to herself, as the others chuckled.  
  
"It is a real pleasure to meet such a beautiful Valmylian. I am Medius, the Venus Foriendor." Garla gasped.  
  
"Your majesty, I did not recognize you! Please excuse me." She leapt from her seat to kneel on the blue ceramic floor.  
  
"Please, you mustn't make such a great deal. In fact, I would prefer if you kept this to yourself. It would be a great burden to be worshiped by so many. Just act as if I were any other traveler." Garla nodded and returned to her seat.  
  
"And I am Lord Isaac of Vale. These are my companions, Mia, Garet, and Ivan." Garla exchanged hellos with each, then turned to Isaac.  
  
"Isaac, who are your parents?" With the mention of parents, Isaacs face darkened. Mia explained what had happened for him.  
  
"Isaac's mother is Dora. His father, Kyle, however, was killed in the eruption of Mt. Aleph."  
  
"Ah, I see. I'm so sorry Isaac!" Isaac's face lightened a little as he gave a weak smile. "But this is wonderful news. The king's prophet, a Jupiter Adept known as Pashee, had predicted the coming of a great warrior. A descendant of Kyle and Dora of Venusa." Isaac's faced turned to complete surprise after she finished.  
  
"Did you say Venusa?" Garla nodded. "But..then...how...how do you know about Venusa?" His shock and knowledge of the place surprised his companions.  
  
"What's Venusa, Isaac?" Mia's question was not answered by Isaac, but by Garla.  
  
"Venusa is a hidden village in the mountains. It used to be where the Venus Temple, home to the earth god Venus, was. Eventually it was destroyed. A large village was created from its ruins, and Venusa was born." Isaac became even more shocked.  
  
"Um, yes, well, that's part of it. But really, how do you know about Venusa?" Garla just smiled and turned her head. Mina had just exited the guest room, Alice slumped over her shoulder sleeping.  
  
"Well, your friend should be all right, when she awakens." Mina looked deeply into Isaacs eyes as she spoke. He suddenly grabbed at his head, let out a scream, and fainted. Mia and Garla jumped from their seats, Medius, Garet, and Ivan caught him as he collapsed. Mina stood staring, a faint smile formed on her pursed lips.  
  
"Isaac, wake up!" Garla ahouted into his ears as Mia tried to heal her. While the four fussed over Isaac, Mina dropped Alice to the floor and rushed out the door.  
  
"You, on the other hand, will not be so lucky!" As she ran down the hall towards the stairs, she slid her finger-nails around her neck, cutting it. She dug her fingers into the crack, and pulled off a mask! She laughed evily as she hurried out the door and down the long path.  
  
"Mr. Hilters!" The gate." Garla screamed out the door. A tall, thin man in a brown tuxedo walked swiftly to the door, and stepped outside. He began shouting out a chant, identical to the one Garla had used to open the gate. The gate glowed, then disappeared. A boulder took its place, and the man returned to his room. When the Mina-imposter reached the boulder, she cursed and began floating. She flew into the air, and zoomed right over the boulder. Garla, who was watcvhing out the window, got up and slammed her foot onto the floor.  
  
"Oh, how could she escape?" She frowned and returned to Isaac's side. he had just woken up, but was still tired and weak. "Are you all right?" He nodded, then closed his eyes. Ivan and Garls layed him down on a nearby bench, and Garet returned Alice to the bed in the guest room.  
  
"Garla, I thought you said Mina was a Mercury healer." Mia was surprised Mina had been able to fly. Garla sighed, and looked down.  
  
"That was not Mina. That was Anne, a Jupiter Adept. She is...no. I should not be the one to tell you this. Tomorrow, you will see the king. He will explain everything to you. Venusa, also. Come now, you must rest. Garet, Medius, you grab Alice and Isaac and follow me." She opened the door and walked down the hall a ways. she stopped between two doors. "These rooms are guest rooms. The girls can go her on the right, and the boys will enter on the left. Isaac will stay with the girls. He needs to be with Mia, so she can heal him." They all nodded, but Mia still looked worried.  
  
"But Garla, if that woman, Anne I believe, was not a true healer, then must I also heal Alice?" Garla paused for a moment, then answered.  
  
"Yes, I believe you are correct." Mia nodded and opened the door. She, along with Medius and Garet, entered the room. The two men dropped off their "passengers" on the two empty beds, and followed Ivan into their room. "I will see you all tomorrow then." Said Garla, as she walked closed the two doors.  
  
After she was gone, Ivan let out a long sigh, and went right to sleep on his bed.  
  
"Man, I'm hungry!" Though Garet was always hungry, Medius agreed.  
  
"Yes, but where can we get food?" The two looked around the room. The searched every door and closet, but alas, found nothing. As Garet collapsed on the bed, a knock sounded at the door. Medius catuiosuly pulled on the iron handle, and creaked the door ajar. Standing in the hall, was the butler, Mr. Hilters.  
  
"Here are some clean clothes, and a small meal. Goodnight sir." He bowed and shut the heavy, wood door. Garet jumped up.  
  
"Did I hear the word, 'meal?'" Before Medius could answer, Garet snatched the gold platter and began eating right away. "Mmmmm, roast chicken." Medius laughed and joined the boy at the table. They talked and laughed long into the evening, until finally they could barely keep their eyes open.  
  
"Man, I'm exhausted!" Garet pulled on the clean, brown robes and pulled himself into the bed. Medius did the same, and soon the were asleep. Fast asleep.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Isaac and Alice were the first two up. Mr. Hilters visited their room again and dropped off breakfast. They felt uneasy as they ate the bacon, eggs, toast, ham, and juice. The two had never eaten such a large fancy meal, especially for breakfast. Of course, they were too hungry to care, and began shoving as much of the meal as they could into their mouths.  
  
When Mia awoke, all that was left of the monstrous breakfast was a piece of bacon and a small glass of juice. Mia saw her two friends bulging stomachs, and smiled.  
  
"You two are worse than Garet!" They all shared laughter until they heard a knock at the door. Mia scurried over and pulled it open. There were Ivan and Medius, a half-asleep Garet in their arms.  
  
"Mind if he rests here?" Medius asked, half chuckling. "He ate too much, and threw up on all three of our beds. Isaac, Mia, and Alice burst into laughter and tried to nod as they collapsed on the floor, tears rolling down their cheeks.  
  
"Hey! It really isn't that funny." Garet tried to speak as chunks of digested bacon, eggs, and more spewed out of his mouth, all over the beautiful emerald carpeting.  
  
"Oh Garet! Look what you've done to Miss Garla's beautiful carpet. You shoulde be ashamed of yourself!" Garet looked at his feet, trying to hold "it" in. Suddenly, he started gagging again and rushed to the chamber pot. Mia rolled her eyes and invited the others in. As Isaac closed the door, Garla shouted from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Wait, Isaac. I can talk to you about Venusa now, if you want." Isaac opened the door and nodded his head.  
  
"Yes, I can tell the others of it too." She smiled and climbed up the long wooden staircase.  
  
Finally, they were all seated around the table. Ivan, Alice, and Medius had pulled chairs up to the four-person table. Garet was seated next to Mia as she continuously cast Ply on him. Isaac sat close to her, and Garla sat at the head.  
  
"Centuries ago, only humans and animals lived on the earth. Along with four Gods: Mercury was ruler of water, Mars was ruler of fire, Jupiter ruled the wind, and Venus was God of the earth. For many years, all being lived in peace. But eventually, the Gods became greedy and power-hungry. They began warring and fighting. Soon, they had destroyed people, their temples, and themselves. All that remained of them was their elemental stones. For years, people thought the Gods were gone, but before they had been destroyed, they had sent their energy to a human. Medius, your great, great, great grandfather was the 'Venus Elder.' He was the first Venus Adept. He has lived, and will live forever in Venusa." Everyone but Isaac stood with their mouths wide open.  
  
"Wow, that sure is a lot, but you still haven't told us what Venusa is." Garla nodded and smiled at Isaac.  
  
"Isaac, I thought you might explain what Venusa is. Isaac paused, then began.  
  
"Venusa is a village. You see, after the Venus temple was destroyed, Medius Sr. and his wife started reproducing. As they continued to have children, and their children had children, more and more Adepts appeared. This scared the 'normal' humans away. Soon, out of the ruins of the temple, a HUGE village appeared. Hundreds of Adepts lived in the village. The homes were made of pieces and foundations from the temple. They also left the temple ruins and used them for worshiping. Unforunantly, the Venus jewel, located under a mountain in the temple ruins, was extrememly valuable. Many people from all over the world wanted it. So, it was removed from its 'home' and taken somewhere safer. The people of Venusa didn't know it, but removing an elemental jewel can cause the dissentegration of that element in nature. And so, the earth began to disappear, and the busy village shrank. Most Adepts feared their end, and left to create a new village, Vale. But some Adepts remained, like my parents. Finally, the jewel was retunred to its proper place, and the village, now much smaller, returned to normal. Many Adepts left because of the overcrowding. My parents and I left to Vale also." Mia interrupted.  
  
"So you really aren't from Vale are you? You are from Venusa." Isaac nodded.  
  
"Yes, my true hometown is Venusa. I have always hoped to return there someday. Unfortunantly, it is a hidden village, and even my parents have forgotton its true location." Garla smiled, her eyes twinkled int eh morning light.  
  
"Well, I guess that's all, right Isaac?" Isaac agreed. It was time for the party to meet the king.  
  
"Well, you'd all better get some nice clothes on. I'll have Mr. Hilters bring you some beautiful robes I made last year. How about a different color for each clan?" The six guests smiled and talked amongst themselves about how exciting all there adventures had been, and would be.  
  
Several minutes after Garla had left, Mr. Hilters arrived with the robes. Mia took a blue one, Garet and Alice a red, Ivan a white, and Isaac and Medius brown. After they were dressed, Mr. Hilters led them down the stairs to the great room, where they saw the true Lady Garla for the first time.  
  
"Oh! You look beautiful, Garla." Jenna and Mia cooed over her beautiful silk brown robes, pearl necklace, and gold tiara. Garla smiled and thanked the two for their kindness.  
  
"Well, I guess we'll be off then." Mr. Hilters led the seven to the door and held it open for them as they walked down the long path. After they finally stepped through the gate, and carriage suddenly appeared. The door opened and a young man in more brown robes stepped out.  
  
"I have a ride for Lord Isaac to Mardos' palace." Garla nodded and the seven climbed into the surprisingly spacey coach. The group didn't talk much on the way to the palace. They were too busy looking out the windows at all the beautiful buildings. All of them seemed to be made of gold, but when the carriage came to a halt, the six visitiors were amazed at its beauty. Gold, silver, and diamond were everywhere. The palace seemed to reach high into the sky.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go see King Mardos!" Garla smiled as the approached the stairs leading to the main doors. But, an old woman, dressed in grey robes with shiny purple hair, stopped her.  
  
"Garla, it is so good to see you. So where is that Mardos' new warrior?" Garla turned and smiled, pointing at Isaac. When the woman saw him she gasped. "Isaac?" Isaac seemed just as surprised.  
  
"Master Hama!" Mia shouted in delight. "So you know of Valmyle too!"  
  
"Yes." She replied. "This is my hometown!" 


End file.
